A combination of logistics and human factors are going to keep most of Washington’s hundreds of suppliers where they are, said Bob Uptagrafft, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, which represents the region’s suppliers.

“I haven’t heard of any majors making commitments to expand or relocate there,” he said about South Carolina.

“The more production we get here from Boeing, it is going to accelerate the number of suppliers that move to the area,” said North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey right after Boeing’s announcement it would build the 787-10 only in South Carolina.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said something similar after the announcement.

“It will solidify Boeing’s position in South Carolina and continue to draw suppliers to South Carolina, which will create more jobs,” Graham said.

A major draining of Washington suppliers into South Carolina would be a big concern for the state. Washington’s aerospace supply industry employs about 6,600 people and maintains a center of gravity that helps keep Boeing here.

But Uptagrafft said the reality is that logistics chains have become so sophisticated that it’s not hard for suppliers to keep parts flowing to a factory 3,000 miles away.

And the increasing volume of Boeing work for Washington suppliers as the 737 ramps up and the 777X production beings – compounded by a commitment by Airbus to put $2.5 billion in aerospace supply work into the West Coast in the next five years – is meaning that the there’s little reason to leave.

In addition, companies feed off the deeply rooted aerospace DNA in Washington state and the existing network of expertise, which they wouldn’t be able to in South Carolina.